Floor rack holding means



Jan. 19, 1932. M. s. JOHNSON FLOOR RACK HOLDING MEANS Filed Jan. 50, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 e ai 4.1

...mm mn lnven or Jan. 19, 1932. M. s. JOHNSON FLOOR RACK HOLDING MEANS Filed Jan. 50, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l "www Imfenf);

M. S. JOHNSON FLOOR RACK HOLDING MEANS Jan. 19, 1932.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 30, 1951 Jap 19,1932. M. s. JOHNSON 1,842,177

FLOOR RACK HOLDING MEANS Filed Jan. so, 1951 4 sheets-sheet 4 @555525,7/d, A f F-y?, '/f' 'E Ef Y Patented Jan. 19, i932 'NETEil@ STATES `PA'TT FFIQ lfvALCLllrlI S. JOHNSON, F CHCAGO, LLNOS, ASSGNOR TO ILLNOIS RAILWAY EQUIP- IVIENT COMPANY, GF CCAGQlLLN 01S, A CORPOl-A'EON OF ILLINOIS FLOOR HO'LNG MEANS Application. filed January 30, 1%.*31. Serial lo. 51%404.

My invention relates to means whereby the sections ot a railroad car iioor rack will be supported or held in raised position substan tially parallel with the side wallsof the car when the respective sections of the licor rack have been raised or swung upwardly oli the car floor to permit cleaning of the car loor proper, or when need of the floor-rack 1s not required in the shipment oi certain commodities.

As is well known, railroad ear floor racks, used to provide an 4air circulating space between the car floor proper and the racks during shipment ot perishable commodities, are usually made in separate sections to enable manipulation; and these sections are hingedly secured at one side to the car side wall or to the car floor acont to the car wall so as to permit the sections to be swung upwardly oi' the car floor. y.

My invention has for its object the provision of means adapted to be attached to a iioor rack section at the pivoted or hinged side thereo't where it is out of the way and therefore not located in the commodity receiving space of the car and consequently also where no damage or injury to the car loader or to the commodity can result.

rl`he invention also has tor its object the provision of a holder which is automatic in its operation and which will securely hold the floor rack sections in raised position and which at yhe same time can be readily released from `holding position 'when the floor rack sections are to be dropped down onto the car icor; the means being attachable to the floor rack and not to the car walls Where injury the insulated walls is apt to occur.

rllhe objects and advantages of my improved means will be readily comprehended from the detailed description of the accomn panying drawings, wherein Figure l is a sectional plan view of a. portion or a railroad car and its floor rack sections, showing one of the floor rack sections in elevated position.

Figure Q is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on .the .line 2,-2 of Figure l, as viewed by the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure l, viewed by the arrows, with my improved means moving toward rack holding position. Figure t is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the means in rack holding position. Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figui e l as viewed by the arrows. Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Figure L as viewed by the arrows.

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of the attaching member of my improved means.

Figure 8 is a det-ail perspective view of the supporting member of my improved holding means.

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view of the supporting member lock or controlling member.

VFigure 10 is a sectional view of portions of a. car floor, side wall andV iioor rack, illustrating a modified form of my invention in non-holdingvposition. y

Figure ll is a similar view showing the ioor rack raised andV my improved holder in elevation and in supporting position.

Figure l2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 12-12 or Figure ll as viewed by the arrows.

My improved means is especially intended for supporting or holding the floor racks of a railroad refrigerator car in elevated or i raised position along the side walls of the car when occasion arises for keeping the floor racks or any of the floor rack sections in such position. 1

As is well known, the floor racks are generally arranged in separate sections on opposite sides of the'longitudinal center line of a railroad refrigerator car as illustrated in Figure l, where a portion of a railroad car is shown at with'the floor rack sections, generally indicated at l, arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal center; the respective sections being usually hingedly secured at the wall sides of the sections, either to the side wall of the car or to the car ioor adjacent to the side walls, in order thatthe sections may independently be folded upwardly. i

That is to say, the floor-racks are so hinged that they may be swung upwardly into positions substantially parallel with the car walls when occasion requires, as illustrated for example in Figure 1 where one of the sections is shown in elevated position.

The floor rack sections are composed of a suitable number ot stringers 17 of comparatively heavy timbers, which are disposed longitudinally of the car in spaced relation and on which the slats 18 are superposed and secured; the slats being' usually arranged in a predetermined spaced relation with each other so as to permit of the circulation of air therebetween as well as between the racks and the floor proper 19 ot the car.

As my invention does not relate to the specite construction et the floor racks nor to the specific type ot pivot or hinging means, a. detail illustration of the hinges and further detailed description need not be entered into.

The stringers 'li' ot the floor racks are `generally arranged in spaced relation transversely ot the car. with the stringeis at the hinge side of the tloor rack sections generally disposed at a slight distance from the car side wall as shown in the drawings and with the vertical dimensions of the stringers somewhat greater than the extent ot overlap or overhang); ot the slats at the inner hinged side of the rack sections, see Figure 2, thus permittin the tloor rack sections to be swung upwardly toward the side wall ot` the car in the manner disclosed in Figures 3 and 1.

ln order to clean trie floor proper of a refrigerator car it is necessary trom time to time to raise the floor racks up against the car side walls and to provide some sort of means whereby the floor rack sections will be main tained or held in elevated position. The securing of hooks in the car side wall is objectionable because the fastening bolts or screws tend to injure the insulation in the car side walls and the hooks are apt to damage merchandise or commodities or otherwise interfere in proper use o'l the car. I have devised means which are tree ot' the objections referred to and which are intended to be secured to the underside of the ioor racks, and particularly to the stringers, wherev such means will be out ot' the. way in the normal use of the tloor racks; while at the same time providing means which are more or les, automatic in operation.

The specific eXempliiica/tion oi my improved means, as disclosed in the drawings, comprises an attachiiur member .20 which is shown in the nature ot a plate provided with suitable apertures 21 for re eivine the bolts 2Q, whereby the attaching' member 2() may be liimly secured on the side ot the inner Stringer 17 disposed toward the wall ot the car. The member Q0 is provided with a housing portion or enlargement preferably provided with a non-circular opening` Q4 extendingl therethrough toward he opposite aerial?? side ot the member, as shown in Figures 7 and 5.

T he two opposite side walls ot. the housing' portion 23 are provided with registering' openings as at Q5.

The opening' or passage 24 of the housing' portion :23 is intended to freely receive a lock member 2G, shown in Figure 9, consisting` ot the shank portion 27 ot configuration correspondingl with the configuration of the passage.

y 24:, with the lower end theeof provided with the enlarged 'foot portion rllhe foot portion 28, on its lower side and intermediate ot its ends, is provided with a transversely disposed groove or cut-away portion 29 pretcrably tiared at the forward side, as shown at 30; while the rear end 31 of the foot portion is shown of somewhat less thickness than the trout end 32 and the lower face of the ond portion y upwardly toward the rear side ofi the lock member 2G. The shank portion 27 ot the lock member is provided with an oblong hole or slot 33 intended for 'the passage of a pin 34 thereth: ough. The upper end ot the shank 27 is shown reduced so as to provide the eX- tension or boss 35 which receives one end ot a coil or suitable spring' Pio and maintains the latte' in place. The opening 24;, through the attachingmembe such as to permit thtL lock member 26 to reciprocate or slide freely therein.

rlhe attaching` membe" Q0, as previously stated is intended to be secured to a stringer 1'? and the latter, at a point registerinLgT with the (mening` Q4, is preferably provided with a socl *c 3T to receive the spring' 36, as shown in Figures 5);, 4- and 6.

The ends ot the pin 34, which protrude trom opposite sides of the eulargen'ient or housing poztion 23, also provide a pivotal mounting' for the supporting' or ear door engaging member yllhis member 38 is shown in detail in Fit'- ure 8 and comprises the stem 39 preferably provided at bottom with the enlarged base or 'foot portion 40; while the upper end or" the stem 39 bifurcated or terminates in the upwardly disposed spaced apart lobes or ears l1, Zl-l., provided with registering holes 4Q. The holes 42 are intended to receive the ends ot the bolt or pin 34 so as to permit the supporting; member 38 to be swung' toward one side of its axis.v as shown in Figures and Il.

The. stom 39 between the biturcations 41, #l1 provided with a tz ansverse rib 43, with what may be termed the forward side preferably tapered as shown in Figure 8. while the rear side ot the rib terminates slightly within or 'forward of the rear side of the suppoitingr member 38 to provide a recess 44 adapted to receive the short end 31 ot the foot por` member 2o. as shown in tion of latch or lock Figures o and 4f, when the supporting member 38 is in alignment with the lock member preferably slightly tapered 26 and the latter has been moved outwardly through the action of the spring 36.

The distance between the rib 43 of the supporting member 38 and the bottom of the housing portion 23 of the attaching member is preferably just sufficient to permit the rib 43 to clear the rear endl 31 of the lock mem ber during swinging movement of the supporting member 38, but not sufficient to olea-r the forward end 32 of the foot portion 28 of the lock member 26.

This condition is provided so as to prevent the supporting member 38 dropping down or swinging too far forward when slight inward pressure is exerted on the lock member, and at the same time ensures the member being held out of way, as shown in Figure 3, during momentary movements of the floor rack sections until it is desired to be brought into action.

ESU

It is apparent that the groove or socket 29 in the bottom of the lock member 26 is of dimensions suiioient toreceive the rib 43 of the supporting member andto permit the forward end 32 of the lock member to overlap' the forward side of the bifurcated portion of the supporting member 38 so as to securely lock and hold the latter in position against the tendency of the raised floor rack section to swing outwardly away from the car wall.

The pin 34 may be secured in place in any well known manner; and it will be understood that merely one of my improved holding means need be applied to each Hoor rack section, as for example at an intermediate point of a stringer namely at a point intermediate of the usual floor rack hinges shown at 45 which generally are also secured to the stringers as shown.

Where a floor rack section has been raised into vertical position, the supporting inember 38 will be in the position shown in Figure 3 until the operator, with his foot, forces lock member 26 upwardly from its position in Figure 3, against the action of the spring 36, which allows supporting member 38 to swing, through the action of gravity, into vertical position.

The lock member 26 will then automatically move downwardly into locking engagement with the supporting member 38, as shown in Figure 4, and thereby hold the Hoor rack sect-ion in the raised position.

When the floor rack section is to be again lowered into place, the lock member 26 is raised against the action of its spring and the supporting member 38 is swung rearwardly until it clears the lock member, allowing the latter to return to normal position where it will hold the :supporting member 38 in the non-supporting position shown in Figure 2.

In Figures 10 and 12, I illustrate a modi- 4 lied form, especially adapted to a floor rack which is hingedly secured by what may be termed a wall type of hinge as shown at 46;

the hinge resting on the car floor 19'and against the car side wall as shown'. l

This form of my invention is especially adapted for floor racks hinged as shownbe-V cause of the comparatively small amount of space between the inner `stringer 17 and the car side wall.

This modified form is also intended to be secured to the wall facing side of the innerl stringer' 17 of the floor rack and involves an attaching member or housing 47 having apertured flanges or lobes to receive bolts 48 whereby the device is secured to the side face of the floor rack stringer 17. This housing 1'# has a locking member 49 loosely mounted therein so it will drop or move downwardly through the action of gravity when the Hoor rack is raised upwardly against the car side tion of the locking member; and the shank of the locking member 47 is provided with a vertically disposed oblong opening as at 50 (see Figure 12) to receive a bolt 0r pin 51 which extends through the two side walls of the housing 47. That is to say, the pin 51 is disposed in a direction at right angles to the direction of pin `34 in the previously described construction, and therefore in a direction transversely of the stringer 17 instead of lengthwise of the stringer as in the structure shown in Figure 2.

The locking member 49 is provided at the bottom with `a transversely enlarged foot portion 52, provided intermediate of its ends with a transversely extending socket 53 while the ends of the foot portion 52 are preferably tapered or slightly curved toward the outer ends as shown in Figure 12.

Pendantly disposed beneath the housing 47 and alsovbeneath the locking member 49 is a supporting or floor-engaging member 54 of suitable construction, with its upper end bifurcated so as to provide the spaced apart portions 55, 55, adapted to extend parallel withA opposite sides of the housing 47 The upper ends of portions 55, 55 are apertured to receive the ends of pin 51, so as to swingingly support member 54 in place and permit the member to swing from its Vvertical floor enga-ging and rack Asupporting position shown in Figures 11 and 12 into a non-supporting position lengthwise of the floor rack stringer 17, as shown in Figure 10.

The pin 51 may be held in pla-ce by a suitable cotter pin as shown at 56.

The crotch or portion intermediate of the bifurcations 55, 55, of the supporting member 54, is made to enter the socket 53 in the foot 52 of the locking member 49 and this portion ofV member 49 is preferably made slightly sloping as shown at 57 in Figure 12 so as to abut against one side wall of the socket 53 in the locking member so as to prevent too far outward swinging movement of the supporting member 54 when the floor rack is raised; while the other side wall ot the socket 53 but slightly engages with the sup porting member 54, just sutlicient to hold member 54 in vertical position and consequently permitting member 54 to be released by a slight upward tap on the locking member by the toot of the operator.

It is' apparent that the construction shown in Figures l0 to 12 can be applied to floorracks which are closely hinged adjacent to the car side walls, without interference, because the supporting member will swing in a direction lengthwise oi' the floor-rack stringer when the `Hoor-rack is to be lowered onto the car floor. On the other hand, as the Hoor-rack is raised and the support-ing means assumes a vertical position, the member 54 will swing downwardly and the locking member, through the action of gravity, will slide downwardly into locking relation with member 54 and hold the latter in vertical rack supporting position.

I have illustrated what is believed to be the simplest embodiments of my invention which have been described in terms employed merely as terms of description and not as terms of limitation, as structural modications may be made without, however, departing from the spirit ot my invention.

VJhat l claim is:

l. Floor rack holding means comprising an attaching member adapted to be secured to the floor rack; a supporting member pivotally secured to said attaching member; and a locking member carried by said attaching member adapted to normallystorm locking engagement with the supporting member.

2. Floor rackholding means comprising a member adapted to be secured to the iioor rack and provided with a socket; a supporting member pivotally secured to said iirst member so as to swing through a vertically disposed are; and a locking member slidably mounted in the socket of the first member and adapted to form locking engagement with the supporting member w ien the latter' is in alignment therewith.

3. Floor rack holding means comprising a member adapted to be secured to the floor rack and provided with a socket; a locking member slidably mounted in the socket; a supporting member; and means whereby the locking member is slidably held in said socket and the supporting member pivotally secured to the irst member.

et. Means of the character described comprising a member adapted to be secured to the Hoor rack and provided with a socket; a spring controlled locking member slidable in said socket; a supporting member; the

locking member and supporting member being provided with interengaging surfaces; and means whereby the supporting member is pivotally secured to the tirs-t member.

5. Means ot the character described comprising a member adapted to be secured to a floor-rack and provided with a socket; a locking member provided with a portion slidable in said socket and provided with an elongated opening therethrough; a sulgiporting member provided with a bifurcated end adapted to straddie the locking member and the socketed portion ot the tirst member; and a pin disposed through the biturcated end ot the supporting member, the socket portion oi" the lirst member and the elongated opening ot the locking member, whereby the latter is slidably held in said socket and thc supporting member pivotally mounted.

Floor rack holding means comprising a member adapted to be secured to a ioor rack and provided with a socket; a locking member provided with a portion slidable in said socket and having an elongated opening therethrough; a siuiporting member having an upper biiurcated end adapted to receive said loclripv member while the bifurcations lap the sir ot the socketed portion of the lirst member; a pin disposed through the bifurcations, the socketed portion ot the tirst member and through the elongated opening ot the locking member for slidably holding the latter in place and for pivotally securing the supporting member to the first member; and means whereby the locking member is normally forced into engagement with the supporting member.

Floor rack holding means comprising a member provided with a socketed housing and being adapted to be secured to a Vtloor rack; a lock member located beneath said housing and having a shank portion slidable in the housing, said shank portion having an elongated opening theretnrough, while the outer end ot the lock member is provided with a transverse groove; a supporting member adapted to be disposed in alignment with the lock member and having spaced apart portions at its upper end adapted to straddle the lock men'iber and the housing ot the lirst member, the supporting men'iber intermediate ot the spaced apart portions being formed to enter the groove ot the lock member; a pivot pin disposed through said spaced apart portions, said housing and the elonfja 5 ed opening in the lock member 'for slidably holding the latter in place and for pivotallyv securing the supporting member to the housing; and a spring mounted in said housingwhereby the lock member is yieldingly held in locking position.

MALCOLM S. JOHNSON. 

